Old Empire, Kingdom of the Dirai

Dirímor is one of oldest Yrūni kingdoms in Vulmùra. It is bordered by the kingdoms of Lōépōnye Nōe, Viríllis, and the Illyri duchies of Ēádēan, Liríllix. Dirímor was once part of the Dekàli city-state of Viríllis.

Government

• Type – Illyri Monarchy
• Ruler –
• Capital – City of Dizmas
• Cities – Dizmas, Farrìdor, Erénost, Carðir, Torígir
• Calendar –
• Festivals –

People

• Population – Dirímoryr (650 DR) 1,350,200
• Races – (Yrūn 95%, Ōéle 3%, Gnor 1%, other 1%)
• Ethnicities –
• Languages – Dirímoric, Trade
• Religions –

Trade

• Currency –
• Imports –
• Exports –

Regions, Geographic

• Plain of Kings
• The Southern Shield

Regions, Political

• The Shield

Cities, Towns, and Villages

• City of Dizmas
• City of Erénost
• City of Farrìdor
• Town of Bolòrdam
• Town of Carðir
• Town of Eçrost
• Town of Dargir
• Town of Gir Fètor
• Town of Gorost
• Town of Haldìrgir
• Town of Ligòrdam
• Town of Midìrdam
• Town of Oldgàdir
• Town of Ridfir
• Town of Torígir

Landmarks

• Arézir gì’Mar
• Belígor gì’Mar
• Caríldos gì’Mar
• Darés gi’Mar
• Lorífir Mar
• Farímor Mar

History

First Battle of Diràni

By the Autumn of 734 HK, Dekàli armies had occupied a string of keeps along Tarantis’ southern border, which included present-day Lōépōnye Nōe. The paralyzed general, Salāys of Anðris, inspected each of the keeps while strapped into a special high-backed saddle. He intended to give a strong impression to his troops, but his infirmity was widely-known. Ships had streamed into the ports of Tarantis for many months, carrying much-needed troops, horses, and supplies for the Illyri Campaign. A brief uprising in the City of Takshal was extinguished, and its perpetrators hanged from posts set along the shore road from Takshal to Fivèndam. News of the northern war raged throughout the Dirani Federation, comprised of dozens of small kingdoms and duchies, divided since the fall of Andùl Allyra. Hundreds of alliances were drawn, but few were willing to surrender control of their armies. The Free and Independent City of Fivendam remained above the fray, paying danegeld to the Dekàlyr in exchange for “protection”. When the attacks began, the Dirani were astonished by the size and speed of the Dekàli forces. Messages received from Ridfir and Midìrdam spoke of thousands of soldiers and calvary, and battalions of magicians burning and freezing the countryside as they marched. Following the Fall of Gorost, the kingdoms managed to raise two armies. The Eastern Diràni Army assembled at Lorífir Mar while the Western Diràni Army assembled at Farimor Mar, hoping to stop the invaders at Erenost. General Salāys expected little resistance in the western push and sent the navy onward to ravage the southern coast in preparation for the siege of Dizmas. The walled city however proved much better defended than the Dekàlyr had expected. While the eastern war continued apace, securing victories at Dargir and Halmir (in Viríllis), the western push stalled at the gates of Erenost. Dirani wizards unleashed scores of curses upon the invaders’ camps, putrefying food and drink, sickening the horses, and summoning clouds of rot that weakened bows, wagons, and siege engines. When the Western Diràni Army arrived from the south, the Dekàlans were routed, and retreated back to their Tarantis strongholds. Hundreds were lost at Erénost, and hundreds more were abandoned along the road north. The eastern Dekàli army retained some lands, but without adequate numbers, were forced to surrender others. Within the season, the High Queen relieved General Salāys of his command. The Illyri Campaign would continue, as soon as the new commander arrived from Ummon.

Battle of Dizmas (Naval)

Life in Tarántis was miserable by 736 HK. Dekàli rulers had turned the kingdom into a military camp. Farmers were forced to work their fields in every season, assisted by Kændlànite priests. Most of their harvests were then carried off to keeps and camps along the borders. Every Taránti adult was forced to support the war effort. In the Winter of 735 HK, the High Queen’s new commander arrived at Ciril, an Ummònyn named Egdris. He had traveled from Ummon to Tarántis via Lanádus so that he could speak with the High Queen. He arrived with a regiment of Ummòni heavy infantry which would serve a special purpose in the upcoming Illyri Campaign. In the Spring of 736 HK, a fleet of ships departed from ports in Rallàūn, Tarántis, and distant Æzàlar, set to meet in the Bay of Blood and Gold. It soon became apparent to the Diràni Federation that Egdris’ first action would be to capture Dizmas, the largest city in Dirímor. At the same time, Dekàli troops marched south across the Illyri Peninsula from strongholds gained by Salāys two years earlier; on their way to Dizmas, these soldiers engaged in the Slaughter of Gir Fètor, the only military action that the High Crown ever apologized for. Along the southern coast, the Dekàli fleet established a blockade across the Bay of Dizmas, launching flaming pitch at every sailing ship without the High Queen’s flag. Naval warfare at this time was not unlike land warfare, with ships being grappled, bound, and the decks reduced to floating battlefields. At first, barges of soldiers were sent into the bay, but as many of these were burned the Lords of Dizmas decided to use the city’s fortifications and fight a defensive battle. Reinforcements from Farímor Mar and Arézir gì’Mar were still days away from the city when the Egdris’ ships began disembarking thousands of soldiers along the cape. At the vanguard of this force, Egdris led the Ummòni infantry toward the city. Armed with metal weapons and Amulets of Irynil, the soldiers resisted the first magical barrages. Armored turrets filled with Kavàllūni magicians were pulled close behind; when the magicians were near enough a ritual was started that shook stones from the city walls. When arrows could not stop the ritual, groups of soldiers sallied from the city to interrupt the magicians, but the Ummòni guard circled the wagons and held them off. Soon, the eastern walls of Dizmas began to crumble and the Dekàli army moved forward. Residents of the city fled the breach, running through the streets only to be trampled and crushed against the closed city gates. Armored wagons rolled into the city, disgorging dozens of soldiers into strategic buildings and wall towers. Fighting in the streets continued for a night and a day before Egdris’ forces reached the central keep. The Kavàllūn gathered in the castle square and began a terrible ritual known as the Black Circle. The magicians formed a circle around a single Ummòni warrior who acted out a long and exhausting pantomime of combat. At the hour’s end, the gates opened, and the High Lord of Dizmas emerged from the keep. A sword dangled wearily from his hand, his eyes were wide with horror, and he was soaked with the blood of his household. Egdris walked up to the mind-controlled High Lord, gently took his sword, and executed him. Later, Egdris explained that the death was the kindest balm he could offer the man.

The Dekàlyr set-up a second operational base in Dizmas. The Western Diràni Army learned of the city’s fall and returned to Farímor Mar. The Eastern Diràni Army engaged the Dekàlyr at Eçrost, but were forced to retreat toward Arézir gì’Mar. The Federation was divided between east and west, but there were a great many states yet to fall. Egdris ordered a rebuilding of Dizmas’ defenses and set about preparing his armies for the campaign’s conclusion. The Diràni Federation must fall first, before the High Queen’s ambition could be realized. In the years to follow, the Dekàlyr negotiated a number of surrenders within the eastern Federation. Kings were granted lordships over their hereditary lands and the promise of protection from the Dragul Father in exchange for disarmament and vows of fealty to the High Queen. In addition, each of these states were forced to support the war effort as had been done in Tarántis, with the guarantee that such measures would be lifted once the Dekàlyr were victorious.

Second Battle of Diràni

In the Spring of 738 HK, General Egdris commenced the final chapter of the Diràni Offensive. Despite years of preparation, the Dekàlyr were unable to march across the land unimpeded. What remained of the Diràni Federation had forged solid alliances since the Fall of Dizmas, and enlisted mercenary forces from Viríllis and the Old Kingdoms, all at great expense. Instead of Egdris being able to sweep his armies down and around the Southern Shield and then north into Erénost, he had to cope with two fronts, East and West. Along the northern borders, the Seven Kingdoms watched and waited nervously, unwilling to anger the Imperial juggernaut and praying that the High Queen’s ambitions did not extend into the Mar Illyri. In truth, Illyra may have been spared due to the persuasions of a woman, Ōǽða of Alæ̀ðaēra. An ambassador from Ēádēan, sent to establish relations with the new government, General Egdris took a prurient interest in the Illyra diplomat. Though unofficial, their relationship ushered a series of communications between the capitals, culminating in the Pact of Darés gi’Mar. The pact established a treaty with Ēádēan, in exchange for intelligence on Viríllis and the Old Kingdoms. General Egdris launched four attacks. The first was the Harrowing of Halmir; soldiers from Lorífir Mar crossed into Viríllis to worry the Town of Halmir and its surroundings. News that the Dekàlyr might be pushing toward Mirégil forced the Virílli King to withdraw support from the Federation, and call his armies home. The second attack, was the Slow March wherein Dekàli forces marched southwest toward Farrìdor, striking every town (e.g., Olgàdir, Bolòrdam, Torígir) along the coast. The garrisons for most of these towns had left them undefended, having been called to defend Farrìdor and Erénost. Local militias surrendered to the Dekàli forces, unwilling to die for Lords that had abandoned them. The third attack was naval, with fleets leaving Dizmas and Takshal to ravage the west and south coasts of Dirímor, gradually moving toward Erénost in the west. A large number of Dekàli ships were lost at Ligòrdam, being out-maneuvered by Virílli and Old Kingdom ships out of Pelgìrdor and Sker’d. Egdris did not learn of their fate until Erénost, when only half his fleet arrived to support the siege. The fourth attack involved the largest numbers. Armies marching south from Takshal met part of the Western Diràni Army at Belìgor gì’Mar. Armies marching west from Dizmas lay waste to a series of mountain keeps manned by Old Kingdom mercenaries, who were not trusted within the walled towns and cities, before emerging from the snowy Late Spring passes at Farímor Mar. Egdris had been expecting an easier passage through the mountains, and his troops were exhausted and hungry when the siege began. To the north, the Army of Takshal was already moving toward Gorost, having successfully routed the Diràni army at Belìgor gì’Mar with naval assistance. At Gorost, they encountered a flanking mercenary force that had been camped near the Plain of Kings. So it was, that by Flald 738 HK, the Dekàli forces were blocked at both Gorost and Farìmor Mar. That same month, the King of Viríllis was discovered burned to death in his private bath. A child heir was crowned Queen of Viríllis and her craven Regent immediately signed the Treaty of Halmir, freeing the eastern forces to march west. In Eren 738 HK, the mercenaries were crushed between two armies, the Town of Gorost fell. The northern forces pushed toward Erénost. After days of naval bombardment, the Lord of Erénost surrendered to the closing armies, securing safe passage to Lirís Illìur for himself and his family. With the Diràni Federation conquered, Egdris turned his attention to the independent City of Fivèndam. His demand for more danegeld was rejected, and the armies turned north.

Dynasties

Pre-Dekàlas

1. First Dirímori House of Dirài

Post-Dekàlas

1. Second Dirímori House of Dirài

Nomenclature: Dirimor Dekàlic: Dirímor (place), Dirímori (pertaining to), Dirímoryn (resident), Dirímoryr (residents), Dirímoric (language)